Gas caps

[hbelkins]

Now if only all vehicle manufacturers would put their gas caps on the same sides of cars. If I'm driving my wife's vehicle, I always pull in to the pump the wrong way because her gas intake is on the passenger's side and the ones on my car and my truck are on the driver's side.

[spooky]

Now if only all vehicle manufacturers would put their gas caps on the same sides of cars. If I'm driving my wife's vehicle, I always pull in to the pump the wrong way because her gas intake is on the passenger's side and the ones on my car and my truck are on the driver's side.

amen. I don't understand why this isn't standardized. I almost refused to buy the car my wife wanted because the gas filler is on the "wrong" side.

[Zeffy]

Now if only all vehicle manufacturers would put their gas caps on the same sides of cars. If I'm driving my wife's vehicle, I always pull in to the pump the wrong way because her gas intake is on the passenger's side and the ones on my car and my truck are on the driver's side.

Wow, I didn't know this was a thing. All the cars I've driven have the tank on the driver-side door.

[1995hoo]

Now if only all vehicle manufacturers would put their gas caps on the same sides of cars. If I'm driving my wife's vehicle, I always pull in to the pump the wrong way because her gas intake is on the passenger's side and the ones on my car and my truck are on the driver's side.

I don't necessarily know if that's a bad thing. I have one car (an RX-7) with the gas cap on the passenger side. At crowded stations it often means I get to the pump more quickly because some people don't want to approach from the other direction or don't want to do a three-point turn to back up to the pump, so I just go around them and pull up to a right-side pump.

My first car (a 1977 Ford Granada) had the gas cap in the center of the rear below the trunk lid, so it didn't matter which side the pump was on.

Now if only all vehicle manufacturers would put their gas caps on the same sides of cars. If I'm driving my wife's vehicle, I always pull in to the pump the wrong way because her gas intake is on the passenger's side and the ones on my car and my truck are on the driver's side.

Wow, I didn't know this was a thing. All the cars I've driven have the tank on the driver-side door.

It's a big deal in New Jersey with their stupid full-service law. I've seen signs at some stations up there saying they'll refuse service if you pull up to the pump and your gas cap is on the wrong side. Makes me wonder how many people pull up to the wrong side. I've always been surprised at how many people don't even know their own license-plate numbers, so I assume some people must be unable to remember which side their gas caps are on.

[lepidopteran]

Some cars from the '70s had the gas tank access literally behind the rear license plate, which was on a spring-loaded hinge.

Many of today's cars have a little arrow (more of a triangle than a true arrow) on the fuel gauge pointing to the side where you pump.

[agentsteel53]

how do vehicle designers decide where to put the gas cap?  it seems fairly arbitrary.  at one point I thought that "Japanese on the left, all others on the right" was a rule with some consistency, but my Toyota truck has it on the right, a Chevy I rented not too long ago had it on the left...

[1995hoo]

Some cars from the '70s had the gas tank access literally behind the rear license plate, which was on a spring-loaded hinge.

.....

[PHLBOS]

It's a big deal in New Jersey with their stupid full-service law. I've seen signs at some stations up there saying they'll refuse service if you pull up to the pump and your gas cap is on the wrong side. Makes me wonder how many people pull up to the wrong side. I've always been surprised at how many people don't even know their own license-plate numbers, so I assume some people must be unable to remember which side their gas caps are on.

I know that the Sunoco stations along the NJ Turnpike & GSP (the service plaza ones) all have signs saying that the pump's hoses are long enough to accomodate both sides of a parked vehicle.

However, that didn't stop one meathead of an attendant at the Montvale Plaza along the GSP a year ago to tell me to park at the other side of the pump despite the clearly visable posted sign saying the hoses are long enough to accomodate such.  I pointed to the signs and he said that such has changed and the signs will be taken down.

After I got my car fueled up, I parked in the lot and walked into the station to see the manager/supervisor to verify such.  It turns out, that wasn't the case and the attendant was dead wrong and shouldn't have told me to move to the other side of the pumps.

[vdeane]

Now if only all vehicle manufacturers would put their gas caps on the same sides of cars. If I'm driving my wife's vehicle, I always pull in to the pump the wrong way because her gas intake is on the passenger's side and the ones on my car and my truck are on the driver's side.

Agreed.  Most gas stations would have smoother traffic if one didn't have to worry about someone coming from the opposite direction at their chosen pump.

[Alps]

Now if only all vehicle manufacturers would put their gas caps on the same sides of cars. If I'm driving my wife's vehicle, I always pull in to the pump the wrong way because her gas intake is on the passenger's side and the ones on my car and my truck are on the driver's side.

I don't necessarily know if that's a bad thing. I have one car (an RX-7) with the gas cap on the passenger side. At crowded stations it often means I get to the pump more quickly because some people don't want to approach from the other direction or don't want to do a three-point turn to back up to the pump, so I just go around them and pull up to a right-side pump.

Not to get too far OT, but this. You double the throughput of a gas station by having 50% on the right and 50% on the left. Matters less at your neighborhood station, but matters a lot on a freeway rest area where everyone has to point the same way.

[jeffandnicole]

It's a big deal in New Jersey with their stupid full-service law. I'vie seen signs at some stations up there saying they'll refuse service if you pull up to the pump and your gas cap is on the wrong side. Makes me wonder how many people pull up to the wrong side. I've always been surprised at how many people don't even know their own license-plate numbers, so I assume some people must be unable to remember which side their gas caps are on.

I fuel up about twice a week. I need to know my license plate number about never.

[hbelkins]

Some cars from the '70s had the gas tank access literally behind the rear license plate, which was on a spring-loaded hinge.

Yep, my '79 Olds Cutlass did.

[storm2k]

Now if only all vehicle manufacturers would put their gas caps on the same sides of cars. If I'm driving my wife's vehicle, I always pull in to the pump the wrong way because her gas intake is on the passenger's side and the ones on my car and my truck are on the driver's side.

Manufacturers don't even keep consistency with their different models. I have a 2013 Altima and the cap's on the left. My mom has a 2013 Sentra and the cap's on the right. Go figure.

[roadman65]

how do vehicle designers decide where to put the gas cap?  it seems fairly arbitrary.  at one point I thought that "Japanese on the left, all others on the right" was a rule with some consistency, but my Toyota truck has it on the right, a Chevy I rented not too long ago had it on the left...

Probably the same people who design the door locks on all vehicles as some models have you turn the key clockwise to unlock the door, while others have you turn it counterclockwise to open it.   

What really sucks is the fact many gas stations will not make the hoses long enough to reach.   At least Costco Wholesale club in Orlando has it now long enough so you can pull up either side of the pump.  If only all stations though that way there would be no problem with this.

[Pete from Boston]

It was always my understanding that manufacturers aimed for A 50-50 split for precisely the reason of making gas stations function better. 

The only gas station I around here with frequent lines (a Stop & Shop where frequent customers get big gas discounts) has a sign declaring "hoses no longer reach both sides of vehicle." i would be it takes a pretty damn long hose to reach around all vehicles, and if you waited on a long line and it didn't reach around yours, I can see a fight brewing over who's going to let you switch to the pump on the other side.

[roadman65]

What I find could lead to a fight is you find a full gas station with one open pump on your side.  You move to it and someone else comes in from the other side and takes your pump.  That happens at Sam's Club a lot.  They are always crowded because of their cheap prices of the day, and the way the pumps are aligned there is no "one way" road passing in or out like at Costco who has one entrance in and one out.

I know its first come first serve, but some people can and will be anal about it.  Having the long hose would be the best option at least at wholesale clubs or at least one way driveways with enforcement.  The Sams in Kissimmee, FL has one way driveways in and out, but I have seen plenty times where someone pulls in the wrong way and of course the station attendant does nothing to stop them just as cashiers in supermarkets do nothing about people ignoring the 10 item or less sign at the check out.

[PHLBOS]

Some cars from the '70s had the gas tank access literally behind the rear license plate, which was on a spring-loaded hinge.

Yep, my '79 Olds Cutlass did.

GM continued with that spring-loaded hinge design through 1996 on its full-size RWD sedans (Caprice/Impala SS, Roadmaster & Fleetwood).

[vdeane]

It was always my understanding that manufacturers aimed for A 50-50 split for precisely the reason of making gas stations function better.

It's only an issue at gas stations that are one-way, a distinct minority.  IMO, I don't like having to take the physical effort to move the hose to the other side (it's not weightless, and the hoses are already awkward enough when you're not walking to the other side of the car; plus, I like to take the gas cap off while I'm starting my transaction and put it on again while I'm finishing it; this is impossible if it's not on the same side).

[PHLBOS]

IMO, I don't like having to take the physical effort to move the hose to the other side (it's not weightless, and the hoses are already awkward enough when you're not walking to the other side of the car; plus, I like to take the gas cap off while I'm starting my transaction and put it on again while I'm finishing it; this is impossible if it's not on the same side).

Not sure what you mean by transaction. 

I would think that it's rather obvious that one always has to take the gas cap off prior to refueling and place it back on when completed... regardless of which side of the vehicle one's gas cap is located.

I think I'm missing something in your post.

[vdeane]

A transaction is an exchange of money for goods/services.  In the case of when I refuel, it looks like this:
-pull up in front of gas pump
-insert/remove credit card
-while waiting for the card to process, remove the gas cap; may have to enter credit/debit (usually not zip, but sometimes; sometimes get asked if I want a receipt but not usually)
-push the button for the fuel type; wait some more and be thankful if the weather isn't too bad
-insert fuel nozzle into car
-actually pump the gas
-put fuel nozzle back
-put gas cap back on while waiting for the pump to say either complete or ask if I want a receipt

As you can see, I do some tasks concurrently.  This would not be possible if the gas pump were on the other side of the car as the gas access, and refueling would take even longer, and there would be more waiting, as every step has a 5-10 second waiting period where I'm ready for the next step but the pump is not.

This dynamic might be different if someone pays cash for gas, but I never do.

[PHLBOS]

A transaction is an exchange of money for goods/services.  In the case of when I refuel, it looks like this:
-pull up in front of gas pump
-insert/remove credit card
-while waiting for the card to process, remove the gas cap; may have to enter credit/debit (usually not zip, but sometimes; sometimes get asked if I want a receipt but not usually)
-push the button for the fuel type; wait some more and be thankful if the weather isn't too bad
-insert fuel nozzle into car
-actually pump the gas
-put fuel nozzle back
-put gas cap back on while waiting for the pump to say either complete or ask if I want a receipt

As you can see, I do some tasks concurrently.  This would not be possible if the gas pump were on the other side of the car as the gas access, and refueling would take even longer, and there would be more waiting, as every step has a 5-10 second waiting period where I'm ready for the next step but the pump is not.

I'm still not seeing how having the gas cap on the opposite side would impact the above and I've been refueling my vehicles longer than you've been alive. 

If one knows which side their gas cap's on from the get-go (I know you've had the same car for several years); one would simply pull up to the pump in a way so that their gas cap is next to it and thereby eliminate any stretching of the pump hose to the other side of the car as well as walking back-and-forth to/from the driver's side door more than twice.

I still don't see what the big deal is if one follows the above.

[02 Park Ave]

PHLBOS & vdeane, as an NJ resident I don't understand any of this discussion.  I just lower my window and tell the attendant to fill it up.  If it was raining or cold, I would raise the window while the fueling takes place.  When finished I would pay the attendant in cash.

[vdeane]

A transaction is an exchange of money for goods/services.  In the case of when I refuel, it looks like this:
-pull up in front of gas pump
-insert/remove credit card
-while waiting for the card to process, remove the gas cap; may have to enter credit/debit (usually not zip, but sometimes; sometimes get asked if I want a receipt but not usually)
-push the button for the fuel type; wait some more and be thankful if the weather isn't too bad
-insert fuel nozzle into car
-actually pump the gas
-put fuel nozzle back
-put gas cap back on while waiting for the pump to say either complete or ask if I want a receipt

As you can see, I do some tasks concurrently.  This would not be possible if the gas pump were on the other side of the car as the gas access, and refueling would take even longer, and there would be more waiting, as every step has a 5-10 second waiting period where I'm ready for the next step but the pump is not.

I'm still not seeing how having the gas cap on the opposite side would impact the above and I've been refueling my vehicles longer than you've been alive. 

If one knows which side their gas cap's on from the get-go (I know you've had the same car for several years); one would simply pull up to the pump in a way so that their gas cap is next to it and thereby eliminate any stretching of the pump hose to the other side of the car as well as walking back-and-forth to/from the driver's side door more than twice.

I still don't see what the big deal is if one follows the above.

I think you're misunderstanding my posts.  I'm talking about issues with having the gas pump be on the opposite side of the car as the gas cap.  I would do away with the split not because of not knowing where it is, but because I'm sick and tired of people with the gas cap on the "wrong" side beating me to the last available gas pump on the "correct" side from my direction.  If that were to occur, I would then either have to wait, or have the gas cap and the pump on opposite sides (which does introduce the problems I mentioned).

PHLBOS & vdeane, as an NJ resident I don't understand any of this discussion.  I just lower my window and tell the attendant to fill it up.  If it was raining or cold, I would raise the window while the fueling takes place.  When finished I would pay the attendant in cash.

And as a NY resident, I don't understand why one would pay cash (in fact, I don't ever use cash if I can avoid it) as those infernal cash/credit price splits are rare here (until recently, they were even illegal).

[Pete from Boston]

I am also confused. 

In most non-directional gas stations, it's a free-for-all.  Some come from one way, some from others.  Some pull up on the right, some on the left.  Almost no one pulls up on the side their gas cap isn't.  And it pretty much works out

In the days before the hanging-from-above vapor-recovery hoses, in fact, I don't recall anyone doing this at all. 

To bring this back on topic, can you imagine the even longer lines at the Turnpike gas stations if gas caps were all on the same side?

[jeffandnicole]

PHLBOS & vdeane, as an NJ resident I don't understand any of this discussion.  I just lower my window and tell the attendant to fill it up.  If it was raining or cold, I would raise the window while the fueling takes place.  When finished I would pay the attendant in cash.

Heehee...I was thinking a smartass comment as well, but left it alone.  After all, it's magical in NJ: You tell someone you want the tank filled up, and it happens! :-)

And as a NY resident, I don't understand why one would pay cash (in fact, I don't ever use cash if I can avoid it) as those infernal cash/credit price splits are rare here (until recently, they were even illegal).

Some people truly don't have a credit card!  For some, it's because they maxed it out, or don't want one, but there are those people out there without it.  I'll see this issue on occasion on travel forums I visit, as when they make their reservations the hotel usually wants a credit card for a deposit (they'll take cash deposits as well). Like you though, I'm almost always paying with credit.

To bring this back on topic, can you imagine the even longer lines at the Turnpike gas stations if gas caps were all on the same side?

Since the overwhelming majority of gas caps are on the left, you will see long lines on the right side of the pumps.  For those with gas caps on the left, they can usually pull right up to an open pump.  Even though the signs state the hoses are long and you can go to either side, I've never seen the attendants encourage drivers to go to an open, opposite side pump.